Distance Record!

For the past week or so I've been struggling to get my miles in and it has caused quite a bit of anguish on my part. Mostly because I was working to a schedule and I wasn't hitting my goals in both time and distance.  After taking abou a week off from my schedule I feel much better about my progress after today's effort.  27 days and counting for my 10k but I'm really starting to eyeball and gear myself to get ready for my half marathon that's in May.  The 10k I feel I'm ready for right now and I think I can reach my sub 60 min goal that I've set for myself and with that in the back of my mind, I've started to mentally get ready for my first half.

That all being said - I went out the front door (well actually my in-laws front door) and just started running.  I took Bogey along with me to help me keep my pace slow, but I felt so good over the first 20 mins I started to 'add' distance 3,4,5 miles went by without even a pause.  I felt great and the weather was just perfect for running - overcast with just a touch of a drizzle as I ran along the windswept ocean and harbor area (58 degrees).  After the 6 mile mark I was still feeling good so mentally I added another loop in my head.  Right about then I realized that I was closing in on a personal best in distance (9.5 miles).  But I was starting to worry about my running partner - Bogey had started to try to take 'drinks' out of the standing water collecting in the curbs while we were running.  Twice I stopped at water fountains to try to get him to drink out of my hands, but the stupid dog would rather drink out of the curb on the run.....  I lost about 3-5 mins trying to get Bogey to drink when I decided to just head home (approx 4 miles;  I wasn't quite sure of the distance at this point).  So Bogey and I fought our way home - 1:30:00 on the clock clicked away, then 1:45:00 and I reached the point where we were going to leave the beach behind.  I knew that from this point we were just a little over a mile away from finishing so I gave Bogey a quick little pep talk and we trudged our way home.  2:01:51 was our final time, but how far did we go?  I was guessing just over 10 miles, but I was suprised to see 11.45 come up when I mapped it out!  A personal best on a day when I just wanted to get in about 4-5 miles.



Now just barely removed from this PB I'm wondering if I could break 2 hours 15 mins for my first half?  This run was very, very easy - and the pace felt really good (10:39 per mile).  I walked three times (two of them water breaks for Bogey), and I didn't have any water, gu's or food for the distance - I'm beginning to think that it's possible.  Physically I'm tired, but not worn out and that leads me to believe that I can handle the half distance now and maybe even 'race' that distance.  First I have to see if I can do the sub 60 though before I start planning any thing else.  I have to remind myself that I'm stil training for my 10k.  "Don't get ahead of myself."      

Keep Steppin'
Bob